Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-08-28
Crem alton OF n Prince.
fpall- Mall Cazette.1

Crem alton OF a Prince.
[PalLMall Gazette.l
On the afternoon of the 9th Of April
last we anchored off the mouth OF the
magnificent River Menam, and in the
evening weighed anchor, crossed the
lar and proceeded up river. We an
cbored again about IL 2. NJ, closed to
the left bank, beyond the town of PAX
nam, in an atmosphere fragrant with
the odor OF orange blossoms from a
grove close by, and were lulldbyed to
our slnmbers by the chirping of the
ground-crickets and the pleasant and
incessant small, bell.peal-like croak-
ings Of the tree-frogs. Eary next
morning we proceeded on our journey
to Bangkok, the capital of siam, pass
ing on our way large tracts Of man.
grove swamps and paddy fields, plan
tations of oranges, sugar-canes cocoa
nut palms, and tall, slim betel, or areca-
nut palms, Buddhist temples, or watts,
floating houses, and srrived at our
estimation by noon. On our arrival
We were informed that we had come in
time to attend royal cremation that
evening, but that we had missed the
mortnary rites. which had been going
on Tor six days previously. So to pass
the time until evening We de-
termined to visit the temples and sa-
cred white elephants. The temples in
BANGKOK are much the same as other
Buddhist temples throughout the East.
AS for the elephants they are frauds
poor, measly brutes, suffering from
parasitic skin affections. Though the
pschyderms are sacred, ennobled, and
titled, they do not seem to have a
happy time. Their confreres in the
London Zoo have princely times in
comparison. They are poorly fed and
poorly housed and very badly groom
ed. Are there albino elephants [
do not know, but l do know
that the King of Siam does not
possess one. Some years ago French
circns-man bleached the skin OF an or
dinary elephant with chlorine water
and sold him to the confding Siamese
Government, and then cleared out of
Siam. Presently the animal began to
look dirty, and the keepers were
logged and changed for not keeping
the brute clean. The new keepers
failed to clean him, of course, and the
fraud was discovered. The strange
part of the story is that there is an old
Siarnese tradition to the effect that
Whoever plays any pranks or deceit on
or about white elephants shall surely
die within a year of doing so. The cir
ems man actually did die within year
of his sale in Hong Kong.
Four-thirty p. NJ. found rs under
the fostering wings of some OF the oc-
cupants OF the British Legation view
ing the preparations for the coming
clematory performance. II seems that
the King Of Siam, Somdetch P'rs Para
mindr Mahah Chulalonkora, recently
lost his favorite uncle, his Royal High
ness Somdetch Chovia Mahamala,
Somdetch Phra' Bamrap Parapaks,
whose remains were to be cremated on
this evening. Such names! They
make one wonder whether the
Sinmese are an Asiatic branch
of the Welsh people. Outside
the palace gate, on the parade
ground, sqnare space was maintained
by native soldiers and sailors, and
within it was the temporary building,
the phramane, which covered the urn
containing the corpse. Besides the
pbramane there were number OF pa
vilicns and show booths within the
square, in which native artists acted,
and discoursed music nota all displeas-
ing to European ears. The phramane
was big, CANDY, tawdry tinsellated su-
perstructure, which sent golden spire
heavenward. It's entrance was guarded
by two immense bespangled sitting fig
ures of Buddha. Within was high
inclosed dais, and around this were o
number OF grotesquely-colored wood
en- figures representing rampant lions
bodies surmOuEted by ferocious-look-
ing mems heads. Squatting on the
floor were a number of yellow-elad,
sbaven-headed Buddhist priests with
tom-toms and candles, who kept up a
perpetual but varying drumming. and
who occasionally broke forth into a
monotonous refrain.
The King entered the phramane
about o'clock amid much trumpet
ing and surrounded by big retinue.
He bowed to the dais and prayed, then
assembled the steps. and entered the in.
closure, and amid the lsud chanting
and tomtoming of the kowtowing priests
be fred the pile beneath the urn, and
again prayed. He descended and DE-
parted. Then the Princes entered the
inclosure and performed their obse-
quies, and then followed the native
mobiles, among whom we found our
selves. On the dais around the arm was
kind of shelf, on which we're piled in
Vulnerable tapers, made OF sandalwood,
frapkincense, and wax. Each per,on,
On entering, lit number of these and
showed item under the urn, which, by
the same token, was not much bigger
than decent-sized pot. How they
managed to stow the remains in il / dc
not know. The abominable smell OIL
frizzling human flesh that spluttered
and spat in the pot, which the aromatic
fumes Of the sandal aud frankincenst
failed to disguise, permeated the build
| ing and drove us forth.
When the king had performed hi
cbsequies he adjourned to pavilion
where he held an audience. He seated
himself on kind OF Q balcony, AND
several OF his little children were
brought to him. On another balloon,
on his right the numerous princes o
royal blood seated themselves. Thu
body Of the pavilion was set apart TO
| the mobiles. Ministers, and "distin
| guished foreigners" some Of whom
were ladies. When his Majesty haa
sat for limo IN silence Sc sudden
y produced : large baa fnp q
l.ssa Gns. 4, 81 q shish ooa